Core 3 - Clinical Needs Assessment and Dissemination Core 3 Overview The primary function of Core 3 is two fold. First, Core 3 is tasked with providing needs assessment in areas anticipated to advance the field of point-of-care technologies for neurologic based diseases and emergencies. This needs assessment function is two facetted covering both the need to have adequate understanding of needs assessment on proposals submitted to the Center for funding consideration and the need to have larger picture understanding of unmet clinical needs the will effect the future direction of the POC-CENT Program. The second primary function of Core 3 is to insure adequate dissemination or POC-CENT results and accomplishments to the community at large. The team members for this Core are: PI; Raj Narayan, Co-Pi; Ed Jauch, Fred Beyette, Dan Kanter, Lori Shutter, and Ton DeGrauw. The Core PI is an established clinical trialist with extensive experience in head injury research. He is the Chair of Neurosurgery and a leader on the worldwide stage for neurosurgical developments. Dr. Narayan has assembled a blue ribbon team of physicians, scientists and engineers to perform clinical needs assessment to evaluate projects that could enter the POC-CENT pathway. The team covers the breadth and depth of all the major neurological issues that could be expected. Description of the Core 3 Operations. The Team will meet quarterly or more often as needed. Clinical needs assessment will be done for two purposes. First, the team will work with the Core 2 team to provide evaluation of needs assessment for each project proposal submitted for funding consideration. Second, the team will generate an annual report that details the current clinical needs priorities for point-of-care technologies in the field of neurologic emergencies. Much of the clinical needs assessment will be done using a metrics of priorities and importance. This metrics is presented below. Are there other diagnostic options available no = 1, yes = 10 Will faster information mean better care no = 1, yes =10 Will better care improve outcome no = 1, yes = 10 Are substantial number of patients affected no = 1, yes = 10 Will specialized centers be needed no = 1, yes = 10 Will physicians embrace the technology no = 1, yes = 10 Will nursing or paramedical staff embrace the technology no = 1, yes = 10 Will there be an opportunity to impact other disciplines no = 1, yes =10 Will it require extensive in servicing and training no = 1, yes = 10 Will it save time for the clinical personnel no = 1, yes = 10 Will it save the hospital/practice money no = 1, yes =10 TOTALS: 10 to 100 Table 5: Clinical needs assessment criteria While it is sometimes difficult to assign a numerical score to subjective items as perceived by our experts, it is important to be able to compare projects based on the clinical need. The expertise and subjective input of the experts will be encouraged with making final decisions and recommendations for all projects.